Purdue Boilermakers star Zach Edey on his unlikely path to basketball success

No. 1 seed Purdue University’s Zach Edey had hopes of being among the teams contending in the national semi-final at the NCAA tournament, but the team lost in the first round in a massive upset. He joins “CBS Saturday Morning” to talk about how he found his passion for basketball and what's next. Dana Jacobson reports.
#purdueboilermakers #sports #news
"CBS Saturday Morning" co-hosts Jeff Glor, Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson deliver two hours of original reporting and breaking news, as well as profiles of leading figures in culture and the arts. Watch "CBS Saturday Morning" at 7 a.m. ET on CBS and 8 a.m. ET on the CBS News app.
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[@ianchu8232]

The part about him trying to get a scholarship so his mom can retire... I got teary watching that.

[@michaelkolacz4449]

Zach is a hard working, driven young man. I wish him success as he moves on into professional basketball.

[@mmldr9306]

Idiots in the nba leeping on him so he had to return for 1 more year. He should be the first overall pick imo.

[@davidwestin6345]

@@mmldr9306 fr ppl hate on him for no reason he's one of the most humble guys in college hoops not to mention he could totally put in good minutes in the league

[@highheadjester]

As a State fan I agree.. Think Dalton Will be second? @@mmldr9306

[@mattmelis762]

Wonderful young man and mother. So happy for them.

[@KjosephB]

And now he’s in the national championship. Win or lose mission accomplished

[@ramonaesteves6569]

Such a sweet guy. Oh I love him- and his love for his Mom.

[@mikehayakawa7192]

Showing the continued growth of basketball talent from Canada

[@ski3435]

What a great attitude....and a great basketball player! Hope to see you in a Purdue uniform next season!

[@jackvandenbosch7537]

He will be

[@DarthBane-zf8wv]

He’s Back!!!!

[@MangoTroubles-007]

He's not skilled enough for the pros so ofc he's back 😂

[@jamesonhills266]

Zach Edey and Caitlin Clark i praise them both for making those tournament runs even tho both their schools settled for runner ups Iowa and Purdue had a hell of season BIG TEN needs to respected more hopefully the conference has more success next season👍 nice to see the big ten represent in the finals

[@luckylizard6611]

Such a great boilermaker. We need you for one more year big man! Come back baby

[@wesleighinman8267]

I look up to Edey so much❤

[@soccerplyr8]

Step 1 - Be tall Step 2 - See step 1

[@arizjones]

When you are 7'4" a path to basketball is anything but unlikely.

[@mililaniman]

I hope the team puts better shooters around Zach next season.

[@gw5309]

They have. And Smith and Loyer are much better as well.

[@evanandersen64]

Think about being checked by that guy on the rink.

[@complexity5545]

I've never played in a hockey league, but we play in the rink in summers in the U.S.A. South. A guy that size, would scare the crap out of me being near the boards.

[@ephenseagal2581]

Please Denver, draft this man. Learning from Jokic and playing with fellow Canadian Jamal Murray would be such a great experience and the Nuggets need his talent.

[@michaelhogg324]

From what I have seen in Mock Drafts that is where Zach is projected to go!

[@adaubu3063]

If he gets drafted in the first round a few people are gonna get fired.

[@michaelhogg324]

@@adaubu3063 why would you say that and are you willing to admit that your wrong if he works out and has a good career in the NBA?

[@adaubu3063]

@@michaelhogg324 he’s not. A lot of his success in college is because he’s tall. Which isnt enough for the nba.

[@DannyNoonan74]

Denver makes sense, the Mile High City & The Mile High Center Zach Edey!!!

[@daviddees7354]

That was awesome!! He has a pretty shot!! Loved his little smile with the bank! He’s a smart kid. Nba teams that pass on him will regret it.

[@johncastillo8551]

Right so "unlikely" lol. Such hard work to attain his insane height advantage.

[@godoggo407]

That is not his job but what a great kid!!

[@kingvonfrom63rd000]

So inspirational

[@contourman6692]

He should play for the Raptors being from Toronto

[@martinsantos814]

This duded should mold his game with the old brook lopez defensive anchor 3 point shooting low post guy

[@michaelhogg324]

I agree and I wish that he would have worked on a Mid Range game as that would have made him more DANGEROUS!

[@chipchiperson679]

And that’s why Brooke Lopez isn’t an All-Star, but a role-player. Big men centers need to excel using their size in the low post. Jokic Giannis AD all do that and get most of their points that way, and you actually had a clue about basketball, you’d know that.

[@RaiderX948]

Listening to Mom it's no wonder Zach has had success.

[@abdullatiif]

Wow he is hockey tough!!!

[@bozoman7954]

God I’m gonna miss him. Good luck in the nba.

[@MicahUhl]

real

[@Cyclops1983]

Release the Zachin!!!! Epic!!!

[@joed7185]

Dana Jacobson is Thiccc

[@josewally977]

Zach eady next to wenby ..🤔🤔🤔

[@therealbs2000]

If you saw zach edey and didnt know who he was, and he said he was good at his job, what job would you imagine he had?

[@ChitaeGandaLalake223]

Looks like an IT guy or a dude who's in engineering.

[@mcpheefee]

I would guess this guys job was washing the top of suvs 🚙

[@robertkitchens6341]

Great kid hope my nuggets draft him

[@redesignedlife777]

you already have the joker.... edey going to a beat up team. might as well be san antionio. lol... then you have 2 big guys

[@mav7239]

Release the Zachken

[@billahler7728]

Love this comment, will steal this. Lol

[@jho7781]

#1 pick

[@kennybegeske8824]

Good Luck At The NBA Draft Class

[@2511thai]

I wonder what it is ethic background ?

[@jsun3117]

Looks like he has either indigenous or significant Asian ancestry.

[@donaldsmyth727]

His mom is Chinese-Canadian. His dad is White-Canadian.

[@espn0o]

Where's dad?

[@kevinchhuon7373]

The next great center in nba

[@jutman17761]

lol nah

[@kevinchhuon7373]

@@jutman17761 hater alert

[@jamestucker3260]

Who could’ve predicted that a 7’4” person would be good at basketball

[@ellenmize3022]

Not a given. Hard work on his part to get where he is.

[@AlterEgoSniper]

@@ellenmize3022facts gotta be in shape to play

[@lintahpius1112]

This guy is taller than Shaq

[@complexity5545]

That fact that he picked up basketball as a sophomore. Yeah, I'm picking this guy if I had an NBA team. That means he could end up with Tim Duncan skills. Those types of guys get the fundamentals down and always get the same stats every night.

[@musenenlightened1984]

Unlikely path?! Once you get close to 7 feet and can slightly jog you can play college basketball ! You can’t teach height!!!

[@dyl923gonz7]

How tall is mom

[@mcpheefee]

Real tall

[@nathanpolek]

Unlikely? He’s 7’ 4”.

[@WaldenWynn]

Yao Ming

[@prayingmantis6777]

He reminds me of the Chief in Cuckoo's Nest.

[@minisurfbanana]

Where the dad?

[@skylinez4793]

His dad Yao Ming is in China

[@sadfasde3108]

Yes very unlikely that a 7 foot 4 inch coordinated person plays basketball.

[@spayced]

You can't teach tall

[@michaelmartin3561]

Unlikely? He's 7'4"

[@marymiller2360]

Yikes

[@kyleciancio765]

so a 7-'4 guy playing basketball is "unlikely?" lmfao

[@MuggsyW]

Unlikely path. The kid is 7 foot tall

[@DennisNedry-eb9qh]

Genghis

[@VegasPokerNomad]

He'll be rich. Great for him. But he'll be useless in the NBA, like Matt Garza.

[@milart12]

Thats a good question. It's going to be tough on him with all the NBA pick and roll action. And no 3-point shooting ability. I'm rooting for him though.

[@Jajsnsjsn]

@@milart12he isn’t that bad at shooting 3s

[@juanshaftpatel7488]

cankles

[@gurkdoinwork]

What exactly is unlikely about a 7 FT HS student finding success in basketball lmao

[@Matt-fb5xe]

Idiotic comment, but no surprise since you came on here specifically to say it

[@evanalexa7728]

Name me other 7 ft plus college basketball players that averaged 23+ ppg and 15+ rpg while also shooting 75%+ from the FT line. That’s right, you cant. No 7 footer in college has eber been that dominant before, most can barely run and move let alone score more than 10 points a game.

[@tompriceusmc]

@@evanalexa7728 The closest would have been Kareem. In his second year at UCLA he averaged 29 points, 15.5 rebounds, and shot 65% from the free throw line.

[@therealbs2000]

Unlikely??? The man is 7 foot 4, unlikely fits someone who is 5 foot 4

[@gaffle7646]

This guy wasted vital youthful years in a hockey rink. 😢

[@gw5309]

I contend that playing hockey helped him immensely with his balance and coordination. Even from his Freshman year, it was apparent he wasn't the typical awkward 7 footer

[@gaffle7646]

I don't agree or at least not much. If it were SOCCER, then you'd have a point with the footwork being helped but with hockey, you're gliding and skating. Balance is cool but how much balance goes into playing with basketball compared to much needed foot movement? Anyway... dude could have been developing drippling / shooting / defensive skills those early years had he not wasted his height on hockey. Oddly, at 7'4", his wingspan (arms) appear to be short. I may be deceived by his bulk though. @@gw5309

[@DannyNoonan74]

My Dad always said that Professional Hockey players were the greatest athletes.

[@heinzyketchupy4175]

He’s too slow

[@PeeedaPan]

And still lost to farleigh Dickinson

[@Sadiqi]

Haters gonna hate!!!

[@itisnottaken4444]

He had 21-15 with 3 blocks what else did you want him to do?

[@celebrityrog]

Purdue Boilermakers star Zach Edey on his unlikely path toward a brick wall at 100mph with a face like his.

[@NeedofBeingVersed]

Make you feel better to put others down?

[@ellenmize3022]

Ugly comments are worse than any appearance.

[@sandyrodriguez2803]

Grow up.

[@sammysouth8372]

Edey is a no talent stiff. Sure college rules and college players allow him to dominate but he’ll have a mediocre and short pro career. At best. Even in the mediocre oversees league.

[@michaelhogg324]

Would you be willing to come back in 3 years and say the same thing if he is successful?

[@4Whopper]

DJ Burns is going to break him in half.

[@dickmoney2946]

Dude was exposed as a dud & stumble bum.

[@fletchersaucey5243]

I’ve yet to see him get exposed, it was the players around him who got exposed.

[@ellenmize3022]

How to show you paid no attention without saying it. Edey got his points and rebounds. 5-25 from three and 16 turnovers did them in.

[@bethwoodard9196]

dicknasty and dickmoney same person?

[@litofficial]

​@@ellenmize3022Utah win today.

[@brandonsieber1335]

Not pro material. He's just a tall goof.

[@DickNasty480]

Dude needs a lot of work to make it in the NBA, He is just bigger than everyone else in college- he will be exposed in the NBA

[@Sadiqi]

Someone will pick him up...since he started so late he's hella coachable...maybe not the league...however it's plenty teams around the world cutting checks...

[@ellenmize3022]

No, he's not"just bigger." He's worked very hard to get where he is and he continues to work on his game.

[@17AB24]

Clearly haven’t watched him play if you think he’s just bigger than everyone else. Dude has some serious skills and athletic abilities for his size

[@bethwoodard9196]

IU fan?

[@user-wt1uh3wu8v]

I keep telling y'all that Perdue basketball 🏀 team ain't going nowhere, so Gene Leady, there's no need for you to come out of retirement and watch your former team. I expect them to make an early exit in the tournament. You must have us blacks to win Championships, not 5 White boys.

[@jasonkeith9317]

Purdue in the Final Four.

[@DannyNoonan74]

Learn to spell. Purdue is in the Final 4!